Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore

by Mike McGranaghan

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore is the most Marlee Matlin documentary there could be, by which I mean it’s about so much more than Marlee Matlin. The actress, who became the first deaf Oscar winner for 1986’s Children of a Lesser God, has a fascinating personal story that’s recounted here, but equally interesting is the impact she’s had on the entertainment business and within the deaf community, which is similarly explored. Watching this film is a reminder of what an important cultural figure she is.

On the personal side, the documentary covers how she landed her Academy Award-winning role, complete with audition footage. Matlin talks frankly about her subsequent romance with co-star William Hurt, the abuse she suffered at his hands, and the pre-#MeToo resentment that comes from knowing he continued to work even though, as she puts it, everybody knew what he did to her. The role of drugs and alcohol in the relationship is explored, as well.

What comes across powerfully is that Matlin was young at the time and therefore unprepared for the inevitable backlash. For example, her decision to speak the names of the nominees while presenting at the following year’s Oscars ceremony earned some enmity from activist groups who felt it was catering to the hearing audience. Matlin makes a salient point about how communication of information to the deaf is frequently incomplete, leaving them to essentially figure things out on their own. She consequently had no understanding of how being a glass ceiling-shattering award winner would impact other people’s perceptions of – and expectations for – her.

Director Shoshanna Stern sits with her subject on a big comfortable couch. Together, they have a conversation that allows Matlin to reflect on her life. Other sections of the film explore the impact that the actress had on other people. Close personal friend Henry Winkler is interviewed, as is Lauren Ridloff, a deaf actress who starred in the stage version of Children of a Lesser God. Ridloff and CODA co-star Troy Kotsur talk about what it meant to them to have a role model in the industry – someone who made them believe their own performance dreams were possible. Kotsur, of course, became the second deaf Oscar winner, a fact alluded to by the movie’s title. Yet another section zooms in on Matlin’s efforts to make a closed captioning feature mandatory on television sets.

Stern does something very important in how she presents the material. The whole thing is done with subtitles and onscreen descriptive text, allowing the viewer to experience the film just as a hearing-impaired person might. This approach fits in very well with the oft-discussed theme of how important clear communication is to those unable to hear. You don’t realize how much information stands to be lost until you see it presented so directly.

Marlee Matlin continues to be a force in Hollywood, working regularly across film and television. Her goals are to continue paving the way for other deaf actors and to help the industry realize that those actors can play all kinds of parts. She’s inspiring, and Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore is a fitting tribute to her pioneering spirit.

---